Game of Thrones Predictions: Who Will Be the First to Die in Season 7?

If you’re not all the way caught up on the most recent season of the HBO hit series, Game of Thrones, you should stop right here. Last we saw our favorite GOT characters, there were a few revelations, some long-anticipated revenge and a whole lot of dying.

There were some complaints throughout the sixth season of Game of Thrones that there wasn’t enough death, but one of the top series on television made up for it with one of their best season finales to date.

We won’t dive into Game of Thrones season six too much, but all of that death does force us to wonder: who else is setup to die on Game of Thrones? The long answer is probably “everyone”, as George R.R. Martin’s world is a cold and unforgiving one, but with the show already handed two final 7-episode seasons, we know that the story is coming to an end and a good chunk of our favorite characters are soon going to meet their demise.

With Game of Thrones season seven just around the corner (premier date yet to be decided), we couldn’t help but wonder who will be the first big Game of Thrones character to die? Our speculation could give way to some Game of Thrones spoilers, whether it be references to past seasons or speculation about storylines going forward.

For that, we apologize. But we can’t sit idly by as Game of Thrones season 7 rumors heat up. Let’s take a look at the top characters that are at risk of being killed and come away with our top pick for the first big head to fall:

Samwell Tarly

Sam is an odd character, as he doesn’t belong in this world, but he offers sweetness, kindness and hope for normalcy. That seems to be what he’s found with Gilly and her baby and they all appear to be out of harm’s way as he nurses interest in a massive library.

Sam could end up playing a crucial role in the great battle to come, but it can only come out of his research or luck. If he’s actually thrust into any danger again, his end could finally arise. Sam simply isn’t a soldier and as we know, even the good ones end up dying in Game of Thrones.

We can see him racing back to his beloved friend Jon Snow with important information, only to be killed by a white walker or someone from Cersei’s army. But what’s more likely – that, or Samwell hanging back to record everything that has happened and will happen? If he’s put in front of any danger, he’s a goner, but if not, Samwell just might survive through the end.

Grey Worm

If the weak Samwell isn’t long for Game of Thrones, the strong and battle tested Grey Worm is locked in for the long haul, right? Not so fast. Grey Worm has risen up the ranks and is always by the side of Daenerys and Tyrion, but he’s also the leader of the Unsullied army and is constantly thrust into dangerous situations.

He isn’t a crucial character as far as the base storyline goes and his regular day job gives way to an eventual death. Grey Worm is probably safe until Daenerys leads her warriors into their next battle, but as we’ve seen with anyone put in harm’s way, their next fight could always be their last.

Robin Arryn

Arryn is a weak youngster in power, as he inherited the Vale and could potentially be a thorn in Littlefinger’s side. The fact that he could act out like a teenager when it comes to how he makes political or military decisions keeps him in play as a huge piece to this puzzle.

Maybe he ends up causing Littlefinger’s demise or sets in motion something that dooms his kingdom. That, or he gets thrust into an unenviable position where he’s forced into battle to some degree. Considering he’s hopeless in that regard, he’s continuously at risk of being killed off.

Arryan would be a rewarding death for Game of Thrones fans, but not an important one. For now, Littlefinger is successfully manipulating him and he remains a crucial tool in “the great game”. Because of that, I think we end up seeing him for a while. That hole in the sky will show up one or two more times, as well, and his harsh judgment naturally will play a hand in it. Young Robin will get his in the end and how/why will make for a great storyline, but he won’t be the first to go when the new Game of Thrones season rolls around.

Littlefinger

Speaking of Littlefinger, it’s fair to wonder just how long this guy can spin his web of deception before it comes back to bite him. Littlefinger’s lies and planning can be traced all the way back to the death of Ned Stark, as he’s been quietly making moves in an effort to land himself on the Iron Throne, and possibly also net Sansa Stark as his bride.

His end game seems pretty clear, but more important than how he plans to make it all happen is whether or not he’ll actually pull it off. The fact that he’s been so busy and so successful to this point would almost make it fitting for him to be the one to sit at the throne in the end, but it’s also undeniable that we’d all love him to get the wrong end of a sword at some point.

Perhaps that begs an even bigger question: is Game of Thrones about a specific family (aka the Starks) and revenge, or is it about the endless paths to the top, with the one of least resistance emerging victorious? To this point, that could put Littlefinger ahead of the curve.

Of course, there’s plenty working against him. He’s semi-responsible for the fall of the Starks, and here they are going into Game of Thrones season 7, slowly on the rise. Sansa seems to be aware of Littlefinger’s ways and could very easily wind up playing a key role in his demise. The fact that he’s no soldier in a time of winter and white walkers also could suggest his time on GOT could be running out.

One way or another, Littlefinger isn’t making it to the end of this show alive. Whether by Young Robin turning on him, the Starks exacting revenge or perishing in battle, I don’t think Littlefinger makes it out alive.

Sansa Stark

Sansa works right in hand with Littlefinger right now, as she’s been used by him and has now used him to escape trouble. She knows what he wants and at this point, and if she’s smart, should be able to have the upperhand moving forward. She doesn’t engage in battle and has her brother and an entire army by her side, so her death would be a massive surprise.

Sansa has really grown and been impressive over the last two seasons of Game of Thrones, and a quick death would cheat how far she’s come. It seems like she still has some payback to deliver elsewhere, so killing her off anytime soon (or at all, really) would feel cheap. She’s not dying in season seven and she may ultimately be one of the few key Game of Thrones characters to survive the entire show.

Arya Stark

I doubt Arya survives all 8 seasons of GOT, as he’s now running around the kingdoms changing faces and plucking names off of her revenge list. She’s already almost been killed numerous times before and is now putting herself in increasingly worse positions.

You can look at her journey in two different ways, though. On one hand, she’s no longer this little girl that wasn’t sure what to do in regards to her family being murdered. She’s risen up, overcame long odds and is now skilled and smart enough to fight back and repay those that wronged her.

Of course, the downside is this is Game of Thrones we’re talking about, and just because Arya has a mission and finally is seeking it, doesn’t mean she’ll pull it off. It would be nice to see her meet back up with her family, but it’s quite possible that doesn’t end quite like we hope. She could still play a huge role in the final two seasons, but as we’ve already seen, she also could be killed off at any moment.

Jon Snow

Sticking with the Stark family talk (we know, we know, he’s not really a Stark), we should touch on Jon Snow, who literally has died once and probably has nearly died more than anyone on this show that is still alive. It would be nice to have Snow spared in the end, but it’s probably not logical to expect a warrior that “knows nothing” to avoid dying for a second time.

Snow seems crucial to this story on the surface, especially since he’s one of the few warriors who we’d believe would actually be a threat to the white walkers, but he also feels expendable. Sansa, Arya and Littlefinger are all on a collision course and with the Stark army growing, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to have him killed off.

After all, didn’t Rob Stark get handed a surprise death not too long after getting the firm backing of his collective army? That at least puts a little doubt in the back of our minds; enough to imagine Snow won’t stay alive through the entirety of the series.

That being said, he’s a fan favorite and is still big for this ongoing story. He won’t be the first to die in season seven.

We can’t know when that is or what it means exactly, but odds are it doesn’t immediately end in either’s demise. There will probably be some build up to that union, as well as some positive fallout after. Because of that, Snow feels safe and it’s felt for a long while now that Daenerys has full control of her destiny.

Game of Thrones is pretty good at ripping the rug out from under us, but if she was killed off early (or at any point in season 7, really) it’d feel like a cheat. Daenerys might not sit on the Iron Throne in the end, but she’s at least going to come close. That means we won’t see a surprise death out of her in season 7.

Tyrion Lannister

Game of Thrones is sneaky when it comes to who they’ll kill and when, but if we look back, there really is a strong core of people that seem untouchable. Tyrion is one of them, and it’s because he’s picked his spots and has been extremely smart about “the great game”. He knows his limitations and he’s also done a great job both talking himself out of sticky situations and siding with the right people in power.

It’s anyone’s guess if that will last until the end of the show, but killing off Peter Dinklage seems like a mistake – at least before the final season of Game of Thrones. It’d be awesome if he actually wound up sitting on the Iron Throne, but at the very worst, he feels tied to Daenerys, who genuinely respects and appreciates him. As long as she’s around, he should be, too.

The Hound

Considering we already thought The Hound was dead, it wouldn’t make much sense to bring him back and lead him on a collision course with his brother (The Mountain), just to kill him off right away in season 7. Instead, the return of The Hound is going to have some meaning and it will likely culminate in him trying to take down his brother and/or fight against the kingdom that made him who he is today.

He’s not going to survive the show when it’s all said and done, but he has a very specific story arc and it’d be odd for him to randomly get killed off before that can play out. He’s always going to be a threat to be killed off just because he already was left for dead, but Game of Thrones doesn’t seem to be done with the dog just yet.

Tormund

The great war hasn’t arrived yet, as we’re still trying to pick sides and figure out which kingdom will rise to rule them all. It’s tough to say if we’ll get that first or the war against the dead, but in one of these battles, we’re likely to see the end of Tormund Giantsbane.

He’s the most impressive (and important) Wildling to this point and he’s also one of Jon Snow’s greatest supporters (and friends). Friendships don’t seem to last long in Game of Thrones, usually because one of the two friends tends to get killed off.

Tormund is a fun character and he’s important for the battle sequences, but we’ve already gotten a taste of his potential demise in the Battle of the Bastards. He didn’t die there because he’s still needed, but his death feels inevitable. He won’t die right away in season 7, but he feels like a marked man on the battlefield.

Brienne of Tarth

There are few Game of Thrones deaths that are going to hit us right in the feels like Brienne of Tarth, who has been loyal and focused to a fault in this series. She is a fantastic fighter, but an even better person that sticks to her guns and refuses to back down from a fight.

Unfortunately, that’s probably going to eventually get her killed. Brienne has so far been incredibly lucky in her many missions, as she could have easily been killed by The Hound and has had several other dangerous run-ins. She’s survived for a reason, of course, as he’s played a crucial role in helping the Starks and her odd relationship with Jaime has also produced a sub plot that we’re not quite sure how to handle.

That alone could be something to watch, as the Kingslayer and Brienne are truly on opposite sides at the end of the day and may be forced to butt heads before it’s all said and done. There is an undying respect from both of them going both ways – a connection so deep that Jaime spared her and her squire late in season six.

How long Jaime decides to keep those feelings of admiration (and possibly love?) over his desire to appease his sister remains to be seen, but the long game doesn’t look very promising for a warrior who won’t stop until the fight is onw. That doesn’t make Brienne the first Game of Thrones casualty of season 7, but it might be tough to envision here lasting the entire season.

Jaime Lannister

Speaking of the Kingslayer, it’s gotten to a point where he also has escaped sticky situation after sticky situation and you’d think he luck would eventually run out. He is no longer the elite swordsman he once was, and his desire to appease his sister could be running on fumes.

Jaime is another character who had survived countless brushes with death. He lost his fighting hand, he’s been sent away by his own sister to serve in conquering other kingdoms and he’s on the side that many feel will ultimately lose. There may come a huge turning point where he has to pick a side or fight a battle that really isn’t of his choosing.

It’s unlikely to add up to his death in season seven, however, and he’s probably too big of a character to end up being the first to go when the new season arrives.

Bronn

There isn’t much to Bronn beyond the surface, He’s a terrific warrior, loves drinking, loves women and is loyal to whoever pays him. Right now that’s the Lannisters, who even beyond money he seems to have strong ties to. That’s more than anything due to respect for Jaime Lannister, and it remains to be determined if that can ever be tested.

There aren’t many holes to Bronn, as he’s pretty good at understanding when he’s being put in a tough spot, yet even better at finding a way out of it. The sad reality, however, is he’s not crucial to the end of this story and his game (fighting) promotes a less than desirable end for his character.

Bronn will hopefully stick around long enough so we can further enjoy his wit and banter with Jaime and others, but he won’t last the length of the series. Because of that, he’s probably our first strong candidate to be the first to die early on in season 7 of Game of Thrones.

The Mountain

The Mountain technically already died, but he still exists to serve Cersei and is controlled by Qyborn. As long as one or both of them around around, he serves a purpose. His purpose is mostly protection and ultimately violence and last we saw, he was standing guard over an imprisoned disciple of the deceased High Sparrow.

While we know that The Mountain is necessary for now, Game of Thrones didn’t bring him back to waste him. He’s going to be needed for protection or battle or something that involves him killing people. That could lead to his eventual demise (for real this time), whether it’s being flamed out by a dragon, having his head lopped off – the list could go on. He’ll be tough to kill and the scene could be epic, but he doesn’t seem like a character that is ultimately necessary for the story in the long run.

That puts him at risk of dying at anytime, but as long as Cersei is around, he stands a decent chance to stay on as her last means of defense.

Cersei

Cersei doesn’t need much explanation. She has time and time again displayed her perseverance, power, wit and uncanny knack for striking at the right time. She knows how to rule, and despite her being every bit the evil queen we all painted her out to be, she’s a devilish delight.

A fan favorite, whether that’s loving to hate or just loving, Cersei is tough to quit in the grand scheme of things when you look at this being a TV show. More importantly, she’s made too many big, bold moves to go quietly (or relatively soon) into the night.

She’s taken back her power and at least for the moment, there doesn’t appear to be any real threats standing in her way. That will change in due time, but it feels like the build up has been too grand to have her empire suddenly crumbling beneath her. She’s in it for the long haul and it’s quite possible she doesn’t even ever die. Well, no, she probably dies, but we doubt it happens until late in the final season.

The Greyjoys

Euron seems like a faux issue, as his plan is to divide and conquer, but he’s pretty new to the great game and may not know exactly what he’s getting into. The fact that he’s wasting time on hunting down and trying to kill his niece and nephew (Theon and Yara) comes off as a silly distraction when he could be devoting his time elsewhere.

That leads us to two possible outcomes: he catches up with them and kills them, or he catches up with them and one of them take him out, instead. There has actually been a Game of Thrones set photo leak (we told you there would be spoilers!) that shows a fight between Euron and Theon.

It seems pretty obvious we’re getting that classic “uncle vs. nephew” battle pretty soon, and it’s fair to wonder if Euron catches the younger Greyjoys to give us an intense showdown early in season seven.

Naturally, that puts all three of the Greyjoys in great danger. It’s tough to gauge who would have the upperhand in this battle, or when it takes place, but our prediction is this:

Euron catches his niece and nephew, takes out the more powerful threat in Yara and then decides to fight Theon to the death with his men gathered around them. In a shocker, we actually think Theon emerges from his 2-season long funk, kills Theon and takes back the crown that is rightfully his. From there, he can move closer to patching up his relationship with the Starks.

The only question, of course, is when this all goes down. Regardless, the Greyjoys as a whole are in danger in season seven, and this trio undoubtedly leads the way as we get closer to deciding which Game of Thrones characters will die in season seven.

Melisandre

Last we saw the Red Woman, she confessed to burning Shireen Baratheon at the stake and Davos Seaworth had all he could handle not to wring her neck. He didn’t kill her, though, and instead Jon Snow spared her life by banishing her from Westeros.

Is that the last we see of her? It seems doubtful. She wields considerable power thanks to her ties to the Lord of Light and it seems like a waste for her to just be sent off without an actual final goodbye. Perhaps she returns at the end of the series to bring someone back or provide some vital information, or we see her at the beginning of season 7 being killed by Davos, anyways.

It’s tough to know since she was sent off, but chances are if we run into Melisandre again, she won’t be let off so easy.

Ser Davos

Speaking of Davos, the clock may be ticking on his time on Game of Thrones, as well. He’s running out of actual purpose, as he was traveling with Melisandre and played a crucial role in making sure Jon Snow was resurrected and then provided Snow support heading into their latest battle.

Davos is a political asset and he’s a great character, but he’s not a great warrior and he’s brushed death several times already. We don’t crave a Davos death, but perhaps he has a run-in with Melisandre and she kills him before he can kill her? Even if that doesn’t happen, the next battle could be the last for Davos. He seems to have played his part and was pretty shaken up when he learned of Shireen’s fate.

Jorah Mormont

The walking dead man was sent off by Daenerys to find a cure for grey scale and it is quite possible we never see him again and he’s just presumed to be dead. However, his undying love and loyalty to Daenerys could prove to be vital later in this story, so finding a cure and returning to her side seems fairly likely.

Mormont has also survived so many near-death experiences that randomly dying out on his journey for a cure doesn’t seem like a story worth our time. If that’s his death, the show has already alluded to it and we can all move on. If not, he can return and (quite likely) express his love for his queen one last time by giving his life to protect her. That’s the likely scenario, but odds are the first few episodes of season seven will be too soon to have that play out.

Bran Stark

Bran’s story was huge in season six and it doesn’t seem close to being over. He’s taken on the responsibility of being the three-eyed raven and he’s yet to reunite with his family. That should be in the not too distant future and he’ll also play a hand in the battles to come.

Bran can’t walk and is physically not a threat, but that also could aid him in his survival, as no one outside of the white walkers would to this point really care to kill him. He should last for quite some time and isn’t in immediate danger as Game of Thrones season seven rolls around.

Other Characters to Consider

Game of Thrones has a lot of characters. Varys, Septa Unella, Olenna Tyrell and others. The one common ground most of them have is they’re either not that important, or they’re so important and have a key part to what’s left to the story that they can’t possibly be killed off yet.

That’s the running theme here. Game of Thrones loves to deliver shocking deaths to big characters, but looking back, almost every one of those characters had run their course. It’s similar when you look at The Walking Dead and other big shows that kill key characters.

Those deaths feel like gut punches and make you scream, “How could they?!”, but if we look at the facts, those characters died because they either had to or they had come full circle.

For Game of Thrones specifically, most of the characters are safe just because they still play a vital role in ongoing story arcs. Just these last ones we mentioned – Varys, Septa Unella and Olenna Tyrell – don’t seem to be in immediate danger. Unella is going to be held prisoner and tortured for basically as long as Cersei desires. Her death could come, but it could take awhile. Varys is too smart and politically embedded into this show to randomly be killed off, and the same goes for Olenna, who seems to be too smart to be tricked into a sticky situation and has revenge on the brain after seeing her grandkids get killed.

Who Will Die First on Game of Thrones Season 7?

Of course, the idea isn’t who will die or survive the show; it’s who will die first? That’s probably going to be someone we haven’t even touched on yet:

Edmure Tully

Few have had it worse off than this guy, who has been unsuccessful in every plight and has literally been held captive since his wedding night. It’d be great if he could escape imprisonment and find a way back to his wife and child, but how often do we get a feel-good story in Game of Thrones?

Exactly. The only good news for him right now is that Arya Stark just killed Walder Frey (who was holding him in a cell), so he could possibly be let go and get the Tully army back. From there, who knows what could happen. It might make more sense to see him released and thrown into some storyline that kills him off for good, however.

Of course, writing off a comeback from Edmure Tully isn’t that far-fetched, especially since we’ve all probably been guilty of doing that several times already.

Perhaps a bolder claim for the first death of Game of Thrones season 7 could be Euron Grey catches up with his niece and nephew and ultimately meets his demise. It doesn’t seem like he’s a long-term villain in a show with so many still in existence, and there is still story to be told for Theon and Yara both taking back the throne that is rightfully theirs, as well as Theon making up for his past wrongdoings against the Stark family.

Most of the other characters have built-in reasons for them to keep trucking on in this story. Most will meet their maker within the next two seasons, but the ones that are more likely to do so ahead of the rest seem to be Tully and one (or more) of the Greyjoy’s. Our money is on Tully, but if you’re looking for a key character to be written out of the story of Fire and Ice, look no further than Euron.